My choices were very easy: B&W Ship of Fools, Colour The Sound of Music.

Ship of Fools is the only nominee from the B&W list that I have seen on the big screen, back in 1989. I do remember a rather moody film with photography that helps capture the mood of the film. All the others were seen on VHS, and I've never gotten around to watching my DVD of A Patch of Blue. I certainly don't have any issues with the nominations for A Patch of Blue, King Rat or In Harm's Way, but like Magilla, I known I've seen Moritori but don't remember a thing about it. Funnily enough whilst at a FNAC shop in Paris today I saw a copy of it on Blu Ray. I didn't buy it as I have do desire to view it again.

The Sound of Music is such a easy pick for me. It was the first film I ever saw on the big screen when I was about 8 years ago and I've seen it countless times over the years. I have only seen all the other nominees on VHS and none of them come aware near The Sound of Music on any level. Just for the recordI think Doctor Zhivago is the worst film David Lean ever made and I found the whole film a bore on every level.

Omissions: The Sands of Kalahari, Shadows of our Forgotten Ancestors, The Moment of Truth, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (odd that didn't get a nomination as it is the best shot B&W film of the year), Red Beard, Replusion, Return from the Ashes, The Loved One, Alphaville, Mandragola, The Collector, Le Bonheur, Peirrot Le You & My Way Home. Gee, it was a sensational year after all.

“Those Koreans. They’re so suspicious, you know, ever since Hiroshima.” Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) from American Horror Story: Season One

I have to issue a promissory note here, as I'm missing two from the black-and-white column (Morituri and In Harm's Way) and one color (The Agony and the Ecstasy). I have In Harm's Way coming via Netflix, and Agony is scheduled for TCM within the next month. Once those two are under my belt, I'll weigh in (though still not vote b&w).

I have to say, Magilla, when you opened the thread saying it was an easy one, I never imagined you voting the way you have.

I know I've seen Moritori but I have absolutely no memory of it. so no.

I remember liking King Rat but it's been so long ago that I can't remember anything outstanding about teh cinematography.

Possible substitutes would include The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (Oswald Morris) and The Train.

I have re-watched the other three recently and would rank Oscar winnerShip of Fools the strongest, followed closely by In Harm's Way with A Patch of Blue third.

Color

The Greatest Story Ever Told was fairly undistinguished and The Great Race monotonous. Better candidates might have been The Flight of the Phoenix (Joseph Biroc) and Shenandoah (William Clothier).

The Agony and the Ecstasy was another of Leon Shamroy's pictorial triumphs, but this was clearly a race between Doctor Zhivago and The Sound of Music. Doctor Zhivago was a visual delight, but Freddie Francis has two other well-deserved Oscars for David Lean Films. I'm going with Ted McCord (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, East of Eden nearing the end of his sadly Oscarless career for The Sound of Music.

“‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” - Voltaire

Griggs was a former neighbor of mine though I never met him. He died in his home in Leisure World in Laguna Hills in 1978. I lived around the corner from there from 1981-1982. Lee Patrick died there just before I moved to Northern California at the end of 1982. I never met her either. It was a big place. The residents used to block traffic on the main roads with thier golf carts.

“‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” - Voltaire